to purchase the tract for the Confederate States for the above and the following reasons:

The prison site at this place is both geographically and really unfit for the purpose. It is within sixty miles of Georgetown, in this State, where there is a navigable river, and with a good road to and but one river intervening, fordable in five or six places. It is still nearer navigation on both the Peedee and Santee Rivers, and is therefore always open to raids, the location in itself unfit for a prison, one-forth being a morass which cannot be drained. I shall go from here to Salisbury, but I can safety say that the position at that place is unfit for a large number of men. The wells fail and there is no place where the sinks can be placed without being a nuisance to the neighborhood.

Salisbury could be used for shops, for which it was fist intended, and if I am permitted to move the prisoners I think I can very probable establish shoe, blacksmith, wheelwright, and other shops to great advantage.

I propose, then, with any approbation, to purchase the tract spoken of, and to erect an officers' stockade and a stockade for the prisoners. There is on the tract two good mill-stiles, on one of which there is a small saw and grist mill, which be a good deal of service to the prison. The dam requires some repairs, which can be done by the prisoners themselves.

The prison at Andersonville, Camp Lawton, and the place spoken of will be sufficient, I think, for all purposes.

I would respectfully remark that purchasing would be far better than to rent and pay for the timber, as experience has shown at Andersonville that the expense would not have been one-fifth if we had purchased in the first instance, and would have saved a word of trouble.

I shall leave for Salisbury to-night; please let me hear from you at that place.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JNO H. WINDER,

Brigadier-General.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. C. S. MILITARY PRISONS EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, Numbers 3.
Florence, December 6, 1864.

I. Lieutenant-Colonel Iverson is hereby placed in command of Florence military prison, and will report direct and only to these headquarters.

II. All persons now on parole, except those at prison under immediately supervision of prison commander, will be immediately returned to prison, and no prisoners whatever will be paroled unless under immediate supervision and orders of prison commander.

III. Lieutenant-Colonel Iverson is hereby charged with the execution of proceeding paragraphs.

JNO H. WINDER,
Brigadier-General.

RICHMOND, VA., December 6, 1864.

GEORGE F. PRESCOTT, Esq.,

Fort Warren, Boston Harbor, Mass.:

(Care of Major Gibson, commander.)

SIR: Your note and that of your associate prisoners dated 25th, 1864*, has been referred to me by Mr. Mallory.

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* Not found.

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